Kathie Lee & Hoda: Thanksgiving is bittersweet this year

Kathie Lee Gifford with friends and family celebrating Thanksgiving.

We know we complain a lot. Kathie hates the traffic in Manhattan. Hoda detests the winter and is still pretty upset over the Blake Shelton-picking-Gwen-Stefani thing. But that’s just small stuff. When it comes to the big stuff, the real life stuff, we are a grateful duo. We are thankful for our families, thankful for each other and thankful for our viewers and readers. Happy Thanksgiving, you guys. We hope you put away your cellphones, spend time with the people that make you happy and eat lots of stuffing. Oh, and drink plenty of wine. Gifft wine, of course!

HK: This is the time of year where my whole family gets together. So whenever I look at them — my mom, my brother, my sister-in-law, my nieces and Blake — and we’re squished in my tiny apartment where there’s no room and people are sleeping on the floor, it takes my breath away a little. It just makes me really happy.

KLG: Sounds like hell to me!

HK: There are moments I sit there and look at the chaos and go, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m so thankful.’ My nieces Ella and Hannah jump on the bed with me and wants to cuddle up and I don’t get that every day.

KLG: It’s a bittersweet Thanksgiving for us because of the loss of Frank. So I’m grateful for the 29 years I had with one of the most amazing men God ever made. Not too many people are in seven halls of fame and still the most modest human being you’ve ever met. And I’m very grateful for the life we had together. My children are too. I’ll have Cody sit in Frank’s chair this year. He’s the man of the family now. And we’re grateful that we know where Frank is, because of his faith. We know exactly where he went to be. It gives us such peace. But we miss him, of course.

There are some things we aren’t all that thankful for.

HK: You know what? I just pulled out my Uggs so I think I’m least thankful for the idea that we’re about to hit winter. (Thankful for Uggs though, hello!) And there was my big puffy coat that I wear to walk the dog.

KLG: I hate that puffy coat.

HK: I know. It’s all I have. And those Uggs and the mittens. I was looking for the other glove. I’m tired of looking for the other glove.

KRT

There’s a lot to be thankful for, but this Thanksgiving is also bittersweet for Gifford.

KLG: Keep them in the pockets of the ugly coat!

HK: You’re so smart.

KLG: Or keep them in your Uggs! They might smell a little, but you’ll know where they are.

HK: Oh! That’s smart too.

Just in time for the holidays, “Good Giffts,” Kathie’s coffee table book that benefits the Salvation Army and sold out last year, is back in stock! This time with 19 additional pages, including a recipe from Joy Philbin, additional photos and a tribute to Frank Gifford. A $ 65 donation to the Salvation Army (give.salvationarmyusa.org) gets you a copy.

KLG: We’re so excited the book is back. So many people enjoyed it last year.

HK: It’s a beautiful book. And a great gift, um, Gifft!

Speaking of turkey. People go nuts for the bird during dinner. But we’re all about the side dish. The best part?

KLG: Stuffing.

Kathie Lee Gifford’s book “Good Gifts” is back in stock.

HK: Yes! It’s all about the stuffing.

KLG: My mother’s stuffing is the greatest thing I’ve ever had in my life.

HK: Her mom’s stuffing is amazing.

KLG: It’s got sage and sausage.

HK: I like the stuffing and the mashed potatoes with the gravy all mushed together. The softer part of Thanksgiving is much more delicious to me than the turkey and the green beans.

Let’s talk about leftovers for a second, OK?

HK: We rarely have leftovers. I wonder what that says about us.

KLG: Well they don’t cook. It comes from Whole Foods.

HK: We make one thing, the turkey. Well, my mom makes it. We do get a raw turkey. Everything else is prepared, thank you Whole Foods.

HGB/X17online.com

Thanksgiving is a time to be comfortable: Alessandra Ambrosio embarks on a coffee run wearing comfortable sweatpants and a matching skeleton sweatshirt.

KLG: We cook way more than we need because we all love the leftovers so much. For me the fun about Thanksgiving is eating while you’re cooking. Even when I’m just prepping, I like to munch. Then we have lunch at 1 p.m. Then at night you nibble a little bit more. Everybody goes in and they get a little cup of stuffing and put some gravy on it and heat it up.

HK: The next day it’s even better.

KLG: There’s never one bite we don’t eat, ever.

When it comes to Turkey Day style, there’s only one thing that matters. Comfort!.

KLG: You’ve got to be comfortable.

HK: Sweats or something with room to breathe, baby! You need room to expand.

KLG: I don’t like a formal Thanksgiving. I don’t like a formal anything.

HK: Comfort it key, but not schlubby!

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